Meds & Supplements, Treatment

“Herbal Supplement 100% Effective Against Migraines”

A headline like this is sure to raise my eyebrows, even when the results are “clinically proven.” Especially then. Come on, no treatment, no matter what it is, is 100% effective.

After listing potential side effects of Western medication (which included vague complaints that are common in everyday life), Migra-Zen‘s makers wrote, “Fortunately, consumers don’t have to choose between the pain of migraines and the dangers of drugs.”

But it’s OK to trust in a treatment that claims to be safe, but contains undisclosed ingredients? Anyone who has read about the presence of a chemical used to develop film in HeadOn knows how harmful having such faith can be.

Plus, they mention the clinical trial to prove the legitimacy of their claims. There was one “trial,” which included 75 participants. No drug from the pharmaceutical industry could be proven safe — which is something that the Migra-Zen folks apparently didn’t even test for — or effective with one trial. It’s not uncommon for future research to contradict findings of any medical study.

Not only should the claim that Migra-Zen is 100% effective make you skeptical, “proprietary blend” is sketchy. In no case does “all natural” mean that a product is safe. Arsenic is natural. Why not take it for your headaches?

Coping, Treatment

So Tired, So Frustrated

That sums it up. I’ve been exhausted since Thursday, was exhausted and had terrible migraines on Saturday, Sunday and today, and had a moderately painful headache lingering yesterday. No treatment seems to be working. Not that I’m surprised.

D, my acupuncturist and herbalist, and I agree that the headache-specific acupuncture points weren’t working for me. We’ve switched to a stress-reducing/anxiety-relieving/calming treatment. I had needlings Thursday, Friday and yesterday. I was exhausted before I went to every appointment — and still am — but my headaches haven’t escalated any of the evenings after a treatment.

I’m no longer simply grateful for the few hours of energy and clarity I got with one of my earlier treatments. Now my thoughts are about the mind that I’ve lost, the severity of which I only truly grasped after I had it back for a while. It’s been a month and I don’t see the mental fog lifting again.

It’s hard to not be discouraged.